Psalm 98

A Psalm.

1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm have gained him victory.
2 The Lord has made known his victory;
    he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
9 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

God, who has won the victory, is coming. The victorious God is coming as the judge who will rule with equity and righteousness. (Compare Psalm 96:13 with Psalm 98:9 – similar ideas bring rejoicing.)  And the arrival of this victorious judge brings joy, celebration – not just from human beings who use a wide range of instruments to make their joyful noise (vs. 4 and 6) – but also from creation vs. 7 and 8. For both creation and human beings have experienced injustice, have been oppressed, know the impact of those who bring destruction.

The language of victory – (vs. 1, 2, 3) – makes us a little nervous. But the victory of God is victory over the forces of war and violence, of victory over fear and anxiety, of victory over injustice and self-centeredness. The only way those things will be removed from the earth is that they are defeated, that war will be no more, that anxiety will be removed from the face of the earth. And that those persons who trade in war and violence, in fear and destruction will be forced to change their ways and patterns. Yes, the only way the world will actually be changed to a place where all people are treated with equity, is in a world where those who bring destruction and despair are defeated. Only in that way will their reign of terror be brought to an end.

God, the victor and the judge, is coming and we join with all creation in joyful noise welcoming God’s arrival. All of creation – even to the very ends of the earth – will be witness to God’s victory. For that victory we wait with eager expectation and hope.  

PRAYER:

O Lord God, you are victor and judge, come and set the world to rights, end the terror wrought by those who seek to destroy and bring despair. Come and judge all the peoples of the earth, including us, with righteousness and equity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 97

1 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him,
    and consumes his adversaries on every side.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
    and all the peoples behold his glory.
7 All worshippers of images are put to shame,
    those who make their boast in worthless idols;
    all gods bow down before him.
8 Zion hears and is glad,
    and the towns of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgements, O God.
9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

10 The Lord loves those who hate evil;
    he guards the lives of his faithful;
    he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light dawns for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

This psalm picks up themes we saw in Psalm 96. The Lord is king and judge and he is coming to bring his reign of justice to the earth. The psalm is full of images.

There are images of power – the holy fire of God consumes the enemies of God (false gods, doers of evil) (vs. 3); the earth trembles at the sheer power of God (vs. 4); even the mountains (signs of power themselves) melt before God’s presence. But buried in that opening stanza (vs. 2) – God’s throne – a metaphor for God’s reign – is built on the foundation of righteousness and justice. God’s power has a purpose, a goal, that justice and righteousness would be the lived values “of all the earth.”

The middle stanza describes the response to God’s righteousness and glory – the people of God are glad; the communities of God’s people rejoice (vs. 8). Those who follow false God will realize that those gods will in the end worship Yahweh, the God proclaimed in the words of the Bible. 

In contrast to the power of the first stanza, the third stanza (vs. 10-12) uses much quieter images – God loves, God guards. “Light dawns” – this is a very quiet picture of hope. For dawn is silent – no sound marks dawn. Dawn is also gradual – the light grows often unnoticed at the start – and then finally the sun comes up. Yes, God is a God of power and might – but also a God of quiet arrival, of gradual brightening.

In whichever way God arrives – with power and might – or in quietness – the result is the same – the people of God rejoice, giving thanks to God, bringing praise and worship to God.

PRAYER:

O Lord, we rejoice in your coming – at times that is with majestic deed of power, at other times it is with quiet arrival. But we rejoice for your reign is under way, your kingdom is starting to be seen. In this season of Easter we rejoice in your power over death. You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.